France + Ethical and green living | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/france+environment/ethical-living
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Sustainable blog of the week: Eco-Gites of Lénaulthttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/24/sustainable-blog-of-the-week-eco-gites-of-lenault
<p>Rosie Hill writes a blog about running an environmentally-friendly home and guesthouse in France <br></p><p><strong>Can you tell us about your move to France and setting up Eco-Gites? </strong><br /> <br />We had long dreamed about owning a bit of land and becoming more reliant on what we could grow and rear ourselves, but once we were in a position to make the move, high UK land prices meant this was not really viable. We started looking at France where land prices are lower and we realised this would be a great opportunity for the boys to grow up bilingual, as well as having a country childhood.<br /> <br />We knew we would need some sort of income because even if we were able to attain 100% sustainability (which we knew we couldn’t do anyway) there are still taxes and bills to pay! This was when we decided on building a gite. The gite market, especially in Normandy where we wanted to live, is very crowded and we realised that to succeed we would have to stand out from the crowd – and so the idea of opening an eco-gite was born!<br /> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/24/sustainable-blog-of-the-week-eco-gites-of-lenault">Continue reading...</a>Live BetterLife and styleArchitectureEnergyFranceHomesEthical and green livingThu, 24 Apr 2014 13:47:34 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/24/sustainable-blog-of-the-week-eco-gites-of-lenaultPhotograph: Rosie HillCountryside living in Lénault. Photograph: Rosie HillPhotograph: Rosie HillCountryside living in Lénault. Photograph: Rosie HillPhotograph: Rosie HillGuests at the Eco-gites of Lénault and one of the pigs that escaped. Photograph: Rosie HillPhotograph: Rosie HillGuests at the Eco-gites of Lénault and one of the pigs that escaped. Photograph: Rosie HillPhotograph: Rosie HillRosie and her family at home in France. Photograph: Rosie HillPhotograph: Rosie HillRosie and her family at home in France. Photograph: Rosie HillKatherine Purvis2014-04-24T13:47:34ZStandards are high at Mont Blanc's new mountain climbers' shelterhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/18/mont-blanc-mountain-climbing-refuge
At 3,800 metres, France's new Refuge du Goûter lodge is set to be a marvel of self-sustainability – but outside, rising temperatures make climbing conditions ever more hazardous<p>Most climbers have fairly miserable memories of nights at the <a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=fr&amp;u=http://www.refugedugouter.fr/&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3DRefuge%2Bdu%2BGo%25C3%25BBter%26hl%3Den%26prmd%3Dimvns&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=6qtRUIC0MIy3hAeIxYAg&amp;ved=0CCgQ7gEwAA" title="">Refuge du Go&ucirc;ter</a>. The last stop before the final climb to the summit of Mont Blanc on the main route, this 1960s building is outdated, uncomfortable and an environmental hazard. Hygiene problems recur, night temperatures are icy and the two outside toilets are inconvenient and a source of pollution, emptying waste directly on to the mountainside for the past 50 years.</p><p>A few hundred metres away a new hut awaits mountaineers: <a href="http://www.orgone-design.com/blog/le-futur-refuge-du-gouter-en-2012-ecologique-et-design/" title="">a four-storey, egg-shaped structure, 16 metres high</a>, on the Ar&ecirc;te du Go&ucirc;ter. Part of it juts out from the cliff, over a 1,500-metre drop. This all-wooden structure, clad in stainless steel, was commissioned by the <a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=fr&amp;u=http://www.clubalpin-idf.com/&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3DFrench%2BAlpine%2BClub%26hl%3Den%26prmd%3Dimvns&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=QbJRUKbRHsK7hAeRn4DYCw&amp;ved=0CDkQ7gEwAg" title="">French Alpine Club</a> and designed by the Swiss architect <a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=fr&amp;u=http://www.refugedugouter.fr/%3Fp%3D875&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3DHerv%25C3%25A9%2BDessimoz%26hl%3Den%26prmd%3Dimvnso&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=XbJRUKXrEZOKhQesvIHADA&amp;ved=0CDQQ7gEwAg" title="">Herv&eacute; Dessimoz</a>. It aims to be exemplary in environmental terms, self-sufficient for energy and water, and able to withstand winds of up to 300kph (186mph). The hut, which took five years to design and three more to build, had been due to open on 30 August, but a technical problem in the cooling of the solar thermal system has delayed that until next year.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/18/mont-blanc-mountain-climbing-refuge">Continue reading...</a>FranceAlpsMountaineeringMountainsEnvironmentEthical and green livingSustainable developmentTravelFranceWinter sportsTue, 18 Sep 2012 13:06:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/18/mont-blanc-mountain-climbing-refugePRRefuge du Goûter, Mont Blanc.PRRefuge du Goûter, Mont Blanc.Sophie Landrin and Cyril Bellivier2012-09-18T13:06:00ZBubble car self-service scheme launches in Parishttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/30/paris-bubble-car-scheme-launches
Four-seater electric 'Bluecars' hit streets of French capital after success of Velib bikes<p>Parisian leaders will wheel out the first of the city's blue, bubble-shaped cars this weekend in what aims to be one of the largest self-service electric car schemes.</p><p>Anyone with a driving licence will be able to pick up one of the four-seater electric &quot;Bluecars&quot; for short journeys around the city, dropping it off at any battery point. The Autolib service follows the French capital's success with Velib, the self-service bike scheme that has been copied by London.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/30/paris-bubble-car-scheme-launches">Continue reading...</a>Electric, hybrid and low-emission carsTechnologyGreenhouse gas emissionsTravel and transportEthical and green livingMotoringEnvironmentFranceEuropeWorld newsParisFranceTravelFri, 30 Sep 2011 17:15:51 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/30/paris-bubble-car-scheme-launchesEric Piermont/AFP/Getty ImagesOne of the Paris 'Bluecars' at the Autolib electric car pick-up service's operational centre in Vaucresson. Photograph: Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty ImagesEric Piermont/AFP/Getty ImagesOne of the Paris 'Bluecars' at the Autolib electric car pick-up service's operational centre in Vaucresson. Photograph: Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty ImagesAngelique Chrisafis in Paris2011-09-30T17:15:51ZEco-skiing: how green is your chalet?http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/dec/04/green-environmentally-friendly-chalet-skiing
Ever worried about what skiing does to your carbon footprint? Some chalet operators are doing their bit to protect the planet<p>The warning signs have been there for years. Glaciers are receding, chairlifts destroy landscapes, and artificial snow alters the delicate water balance required by some plants. Even the wax used on skis and snowboards contains toxic chemicals that damage delicate mountain ecosystems. And that's not counting the energy used in getting to the mountains, and in heating and lighting the resorts.</p><p>&quot;As skiers and snowboarders we have to consider the environment because our sport takes place in such a fragile one,&quot; says Betony Garner from the Ski Club of Great Britain (<a href="http://skiclub.co.uk" title="">skiclub.co.uk</a>) which launched its Respect the Mountain campaign in 2004. The Ski Club's Green Resort Guide lists the eco initiatives of resorts across the world, allowing skiers whose conscience is nagging to book the greenest ones. Lech, in Austria, heads the European contingent, while Grand Targhee in Wyoming is top across the pond.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/dec/04/green-environmentally-friendly-chalet-skiing">Continue reading...</a>SkiingFranceTravelEthical and green livingGreen travelEnvironmentEuropeSat, 04 Dec 2010 00:05:17 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/dec/04/green-environmentally-friendly-chalet-skiingPRChalet Chatelet, an eco-chalet in the Portes du Soleil area.PRChalet Chatelet, an eco-chalet in the Portes du Soleil area.Susan Greenwood2010-12-04T00:05:17ZGuardian Green Travel List 2010 | Small places to stay: worldwidehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-places-worldwide
From luxury yurts in Andalucía to an eco-retreat in The Gambia which will eventually be given to the local village, here are the some of the greenest places to stay around the world <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-places-worldwide">Continue reading...</a>Green travelEthical and green livingTravelEnvironmentAndaluciaBalearic IslandsSpainCampingHotelsBed and breakfastsFranceItalyFood and drinkCanadaTanzaniaThe GambiaSouth AfricaNew ZealandSat, 20 Feb 2010 00:08:06 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-places-worldwidePRXhosa, so good ... Bulungula Lodge, South AfricaPRXhosa, so good ... Bulungula Lodge, South AfricaRichard Hammond2010-02-20T00:08:06ZGuardian Green Travel List 2010 | Transporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-transport
These four companies are leading the way in reducing carbon emissions<p>The cross-channel operator has shouted louder than most other rail companies about its green credentials, but with good reason. In 2007 it committed to reduce CO2 emissions by 25% per traveller by 2012, but by the end of 2008 it had already achieved a <a href="http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/about_eurostar/press_release/press_archive_2009/eurostar_publishes_tread_lightly_report.jsp" title="">31% reduction</a> – so it has now revised its 2012 pledge to a 35% reduction. It has also improved the provenance of the on-board food it serves.<br /><em>• 0843 218 6186, </em><a href="http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/index.jsp" title=""><em>eurostar.co.uk</em></a></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-transport">Continue reading...</a>Green travelEthical and green livingTravelEnvironmentLondonFranceBelgiumSpainSwedenDenmarkSat, 20 Feb 2010 00:07:42 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-transportAlamyGreen bullet ... Eurostar trains in St Pancras station, London. Photograph: AlamyAlamyGreen bullet ... Eurostar trains in St Pancras station, London. Photograph: AlamyRichard Hammond2010-02-20T00:07:42ZSnowshoeing in the French Alps | Guardian Green Travel List 2010http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/snowshoeing-french-alps-hiking-forest
What's kind on&nbsp;the mountains, takes you away from the crowds, and is easy to&nbsp;master? Snowshoeing<p>Julia, our guide, signalled the path that we were going to take. Except there was no path. There was a gap in a fence, a slope, forests and, beyond that, the Alp's glittering peaks. Julia put her snowshoed foot forward and we followed.</p><p>&quot;Can you see that clearing, with the clouds looming over it?&quot; she said. &quot;That's where we'll eat lunch.&quot; It was 10.30am and my belly was already grumbling. I cannot do this, I&nbsp;thought.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/snowshoeing-french-alps-hiking-forest">Continue reading...</a>Green travelWinter sportsEthical and green livingTravelEnvironmentSkiingAlpsFranceExtreme sports holidaysSat, 20 Feb 2010 00:06:12 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/feb/20/snowshoeing-french-alps-hiking-forestPRD'you catch my drift? ... Tamsin Omond snowshoeing in Chamonix. Photograph: Blaise VerienPRD'you catch my drift? ... Tamsin Omond snow-shoeing in ChamonixTamsin Omond2010-02-20T00:06:12Z10:10 travel: Low-carbon holidays for 2010http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/dec/31/10-10-travel-low-carbon-holidays
You can still get away from it all while reducing your carbon emissions. These 10 ideas for green breaks should give you inspiration for any time of year<p>Recharge yourself for the year ahead at the stunning new Scarlet eco-hotel in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. Its motto is &quot;sumptuous need not mean unsustainable&quot;, and while it comes with the trappings (and price tag) of a luxury hotel, the building is heated by a biomass boiler and the indoor pool by solar panels. The hotel's tented, holistic spa offers ayurvedic treatments, an outdoor reed-filtered pool and clifftop log-fired seaweed baths, looking out to sea. Free yoga lessons are available.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/dec/31/10-10-travel-low-carbon-holidays">Continue reading...</a>Green travel10:10 climate change campaignEthical holidaysTravelFranceCornwallScotlandNetherlandsAdventure travelSwitzerlandSkiingTurinKentEthical and green livingTravel and transportEnvironmentClimate changeGreenhouse gas emissionsCarbon footprintsThu, 31 Dec 2009 13:20:49 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/dec/31/10-10-travel-low-carbon-holidaysPREco pad ... hanging relaxation pods at the the Scarlet's ayurvedic spa, CornwallPRSpa at The Scarlet hotel, CornwallLiane Katz2009-12-31T13:20:49ZSeafood without a catch in Europehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/03/seafood-restaurants-europe
On a quest to find sustainable seafood, Taras Grescoe spent a year eating his way round the world - from the fanciest Paris restaurant to the simplest chippy<p>When I travel, I eat seafood. A dinner hauled on to the pier by fishermen, simply served according to local traditions, and eaten within sight of the breakers, is the quickest way I know to escape from the tourist ghetto. For the length of a meal, at least, I feel like I am living like a local.</p><p>In my career as a roaming piscivore, I've enjoyed some fairly extreme cuisine. In Madrid, I once paid far too much for a bowl of baby eels, known as pibales or angulas (killed the traditional way, in an infusion of tobacco, fried in olive oil with chiles and garlic, and eaten with a wooden fork), and it's a meal I've regretted ever since: eels should be allowed to grow to their full length of a metre and a half, not scooped up in their millions at the mouths of rivers when they're still the size of matchsticks. I've supped on hairy crabs in Shanghai (their claws are covered with golden filaments), gooseneck barnacles in Galicia (half a foot long, with blackened leathery shafts that end in a pink-and-white mosaic shelled tip, like alien phalluses), and shiokara in Tokyo (fermented squid entrails, an acquired taste). And as much as I enjoyed eating the Proven&ccedil;al dish friture - hundreds of anchovy-like sand-smelts, deep-fried and served like so many chips with eyes - there was something awesomely decadent, in a Goyaesque way, about consuming entire generations with every mouthful. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/03/seafood-restaurants-europe">Continue reading...</a>Food and drinkUnited KingdomTravelEnvironmentSpainPortugalFranceBelgiumFishingFoodEthical and green livingEnvironmental sustainabilityMon, 03 Aug 2009 10:51:12 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/03/seafood-restaurants-europePRA platter of taste ... Chez Jacky in Brittany, France. Photograph: PRPRChez Jacky, Brittany, France Photograph: PRTaras Grescoe2009-08-03T10:51:12ZThe authors of Clean Breaks select their sustainable Mediterranean travel favouriteshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/02/sustainable-mediterranean-travel-spain-italy
Beyond the big hotels and smart resorts, the Mediterranean offers a huge range of more sustainable - and more interesting - experiences, from sharing lunch with shepherds to helping save endangered wildlife. Here the authors of Clean Breaks, a new Rough Guide, pick their favourites<p>It's one thing to plonk a yurt at the bottom of a field and call it luxury camping, quite another to buy a private meadow in Andalucia, import yurts from Mongolia and Afghanistan, drill a well, install an outdoor swimming pool, and run it all off-grid. There are five yurts set among shady groves of cork and olive trees, each with a large double bed, sheepskin rugs, velvet cushions, a power point, a compost toilet and a bamboo bathroom outside (including solar-powered shower). There is a small private garden outside each yurt, but the rest of the meadow is left untouched to encourage wildflowers, birds and butterflies.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/02/sustainable-mediterranean-travel-spain-italy">Continue reading...</a>Green travelSpainItalyFranceSardiniaCorsicaSicilyCreteGreeceCroatiaTurkeyAdventure travelFood and drinkCycling holidaysTravelHotelsEnvironmentEthical and green livingTravel and transportSat, 01 Aug 2009 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/02/sustainable-mediterranean-travel-spain-italyTethys/PRMonitoring whales and dolphins in the Ligurian Sea. Photograph: Tethys/PRTethys/PRMonitoring whales and dolphins in the Ligurian Sea.
Photograph: Tethys/PRGuardian Staff2009-08-01T23:01:00ZTen of the best WWOOFing breaks in Europehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/08/green-ethical-wwoofing-holidays-europe
These European holidays are great for the environment and for your budget - provided you don't mind mucking out on a farm or sticking your hand in a beehive<p>The concept of a &quot;WWOOFing holiday&quot; is simple, very cheap and 100% above board: volunteers enjoy free food and accommodation at organic projects throughout the world in return for a number of hours' unpaid work per day. The meaning of the acronym has evolved alongside the movement itself. Founded in the UK in 1971, WWOOFing now involves more than 6,000 hosts in 88 countries. So &quot;Weekend Workers on Organic Farms&quot; has become &quot;Willing Workers on Organic Farms&quot; and in turn has changed to &quot;World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms&quot;.</p><p>It's no lazy holiday, with volunteer duties ranging from restoring walls and buildings to mucking out animal pens and digging up stoney ground. But WWOOFERS stand to gain a lot, too – many hosts are inspirational for the alternative paths they have taken in life, and provide an insight into local cultures and crafts. &quot;It's a great trade of culture, skill and generosity,&quot; says Pen Lynch, an Australian who WWOOFed in Ireland. And what does the host get out of it? &quot;Company, help with their lifestyle and the feeling they are passing something on,&quot; according to Annie King, host at <a href="http://www.wwoof.ie/hostlist/preview/all?page=3">Milbeg Arts</a> in Cork.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/08/green-ethical-wwoofing-holidays-europe">Continue reading...</a>Green travelEthical holidaysShort breaksEuropeUnited KingdomFrancePortugalIrelandPolandCroatiaItalySwedenTravelOrganicsFoodEthical and green livingEnvironmentFri, 08 May 2009 09:09:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/08/green-ethical-wwoofing-holidays-europePRPick of the bunch ... helping with the harvest at Aurora WWOOFing retreat in SwedenPRAurora WWOOFing retreat in the Arctic, Sweden Photograph: PRLiane Katz2009-05-08T09:09:00ZCycling Paris on a V&eacute;lib bikehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/oct/18/cyclingholidays-ethicalholidays-paris
Parisians may have gone V&eacute;lib mad, but cycling in the city can be scary. Resident Agn&egrave;s Poirier finds a quiet route via the best bistros and markets<p>The novelty factor may have worn off but the romance between Parisians and le V&eacute;lib continues. Back from their long summer holidays, 215,000 of my fellow Parisians have renewed their annual subscription to the city-wide bicycle scheme. These, together with other occasional cyclists, such as tourists, make up the 100,000 daily rentals. Needless to say, the scheme is a &quot;succ&egrave;s formidable&quot;.</p><p>Young entrepreneurs have turned the V&eacute;lib into businesses, organising paid-for V&eacute;lib tours for American tourists in the Latin quarter. You can spot the riding hordes with their red jackets on, led by a lean Parisian student in a yellow vest. For those who prefer to go at their own pace, we thought the time right to devise a Guardian V&eacute;lib tour. One which will take you from the world's oldest and biggest flea markets of St-Ouen to those of Vanves. This three-hour &quot;mini tour de Paris&quot; with its ups (to Montmartre) and downs (from Montmartre it's downhill all the way) includes, bien-s&ucirc;r, bistro and cafe stops. It's a north-south 15km ride that is best enjoyed on the weekend when the flea markets are lively with jazz bands, and the Paris street traffic is at its quietest.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/oct/18/cyclingholidays-ethicalholidays-paris">Continue reading...</a>Cycling holidaysEthical holidaysParisWeekend breaksShort breaksFranceCultural tripsGreen travelHotelsTravelTravel Awards 2008Ethical and green livingCity breaksFri, 17 Oct 2008 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/oct/18/cyclingholidays-ethicalholidays-parisGettyFrench spoke ... checking out the V&eacute;lib bikes in Paris. Photograph: GettyGettyAgnès Poirier2008-10-17T23:01:00ZThe expert panel: Which is your favourite eco-escape?http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jul/06/green.ethicalholidays2
This week's question ... which is your favourite eco-escape?<p>The Loch Ossian Youth Hostel in the Scottish Highlands is the most eco-friendly youth hostel I've visited. Electricity is provided by a wind turbine, food waste is used as mulch for planting new trees, and waste water is cleaned by a natural reed bed. It's also in a stunning setting among birch and rowan trees by Loch Ossian on Rannoch Moor and can only be reached by train. Further afield, I would have to recommend Thadaku, one of the first community-owned tented safari camps in South Africa. When I stayed my ranger was Patience Bogatsu, one of the first black female certified safari guides in the country. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jul/06/green.ethicalholidays2">Continue reading...</a>Green travelEthical holidaysScotlandTravelWalesFranceCosta RicaTanzaniaSelf-cateringEthical and green livingSat, 05 Jul 2008 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jul/06/green.ethicalholidays2Guardian Staff2008-07-05T23:01:00ZTop 100 flight free holidays: Long-distance walkshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.walkingholidays
From a 10-day hike in Ireland to a month-long pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela, here is our pick of the best walking holidays<p>You'll need both swimsuit and hiking boots to make the most of this 509km trek. Following Turkey's southern coast from Fethiye to Antalya, it passes white sand beaches, unspoilt villages, and sites such as the ancient Lycian city of Myra. Leave a month for the full thing (see <a href="http://www.lycianway.com">lycianway.com</a>), although most people break it down into week-long sections, camping or sleeping in rustic guesthouses, such as The Watermill in Faralya (<a href="http://www.natur-reisen.de">natur-reisen.de</a>, €43pp pn).</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.walkingholidays">Continue reading...</a>Top 100 flight free holidaysWalking holidaysAdventure travelGreen travelBudget travelTurkeySpainIrelandFranceItalyHotelsTravelTravel and transportGreenhouse gas emissionsCarbon footprintsEthical and green livingClimate changeEnvironmentHealth and fitnessTransportUK newsSat, 26 Apr 2008 11:50:21 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.walkingholidaysThe Irish Image Collection/Design Pics/CorbisBest foot forward ... spectacular scenery hiking the Kerry Way in Ireland. Photograph: The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics/CorbisThe Irish Image Collection/Design Pics/CorbisGuardian Staff2008-04-26T11:50:21ZTop 100 flight free holidays: Cyclinghttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.cyclingholidays
Cycling is healthy, environmentally friendly and economical. Jump on your bike and cycle to France, Spain or Holland<p>The quickest cycle trip to the continent is to sail to Calais. Turn right off the ferry and you'll soon find yourself meandering along the dramatic white cliffs of the C&ocirc;te d'Opal above stunnning sandy beaches. A leisurely three-day circular ride will take in fishing villages, local markets and historic sites in Calais and Boulogne. The ferry crossing costs from just &pound;12 each way for you and your bike (0871 222 2500, <a href="http://www.seafrance.com">seafrance.com</a>) making this trip not only easy and green but cheap too. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.cyclingholidays">Continue reading...</a>Top 100 flight free holidaysCycling holidaysAdventure travelGreen travelFranceSpainNetherlandsTravelTravel and transportGreenhouse gas emissionsCarbon footprintsEthical and green livingClimate changeEnvironmentHealth and fitnessTransportUK newsFri, 25 Apr 2008 23:07:27 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100flightfreeholidays.cyclingholidaysnull/PRChain gang... they say there are more bicycles than residents in Hollandnull/PRGuardian Staff2008-04-25T23:07:27ZTop 100 flight free holidays: On waterhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100.flightfreeholidays
The prospect of another summer of airport delays, extra security and lost luggage looms. But you can avoid the chaos - turn to water as a means for travel and accommodation<p>Coming into harbour, the easterly wind picks up, scalping white caps off the heads of waves. Ahead a fishing boat, rusty and battered around the bows, punches into the chop of water, then turns south. The radio crackles to life on the bridge of our boat, the Glen Massan, and the engines are cut back, giving time for a ferry to dart out of the narrow harbour entrance. A pair of seals bob up near the rocks and watch our progress towards the pretty waterfront, the houses brightly painted and the castle romantically ruined and overgrown. Behind us are snow-peaked mountains, hillsides drizzled with golden gorse and lined with sunlight, then below in the water the sudden leap of a porpoise. This is a cruise, I remind myself, but not one of those anodyne luxury hotels on water, rather a true salty experience with itineraries that change with the winds and a trawl-net of wonderful experiences. No need, either, for planes or airports since we're sailing into Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula, unbelievably just 40 miles from Glasgow.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100.flightfreeholidays">Continue reading...</a>Top 100 flight free holidaysCruisesBoating holidaysGreen travelWater sports holidaysAdventure travelShort breaksUnited KingdomIrelandFranceNorwayChannel IslandsNew YorkGermanyScotlandTravelTravel and transportGreenhouse gas emissionsCarbon footprintsEthical and green livingClimate changeEnvironmentTransportUK newsFri, 25 Apr 2008 23:07:25 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/apr/26/top100.flightfreeholidaysnull/PR'A true salty experience' ... cruising on a converted fishing trawlernull/PRKevin Rushby2008-04-25T23:07:25ZEscape's picks of the weekhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/30/france.ethicalholidays
<p>The French ski resort of Meribel is hosting the Altitude Festival from next Saturday to 20 April. Comedy performers include Phil Jupitus, Ed Byrne and Jenny Eclair. The ski world's traditionally cheesy disco scene will be augmented with sets by Norman Jay and the Ministry of Sound, as well as free gigs in a variety of the town's watering holes. More information at <a href="http://www.altitudefestival.com">altitudefestival.com</a>. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/30/france.ethicalholidays">Continue reading...</a>FranceEthical holidaysWildlife holidaysIcelandHotelsSpa breaksRest and relaxationCampingShort breaksUnited KingdomCultural tripsNewcastleTravelEthical and green livingSun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:54 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/30/france.ethicalholidaysGuardian Staff2008-03-30T00:00:54ZGreen getawayshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/22/top100family.green
We look at some of the best ways to get back to mother nature without hurting her<p>The River Dart is one of England's loveliest waterways, perfect for a paddling adventure on its lower reaches from Totnes down to Dartmouth. Chris Salisbury, aka Wildwise, does three-day safaris down the river, teaching bushcraft and wildlife knowledge. You might learn about tracking, campcraft, fishing or even making string from natural fibres like nettle stems - eat your heart out Huck Finn. At night you camp on the riverbank, eat your day's catch and are entertained by Spindle Wayfarer, the storyteller. No canoeing skills are necessary, only the ability to swim. If rivers are not your thing, Wildwise do other family camps and woodland experiences.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/22/top100family.green">Continue reading...</a>Top 100 family breaksFamily holidaysGreen travelEthical holidaysUnited KingdomDevonFranceTurkeyDenmarkNew ForestPortugalTravelEthical and green livingSat, 22 Mar 2008 00:01:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/22/top100family.greennull/PRTuck in: Gaia Tribe festival, Yorkshirenull/PRGuardian Staff2008-03-22T00:01:10ZGo lightly: 10 eco-friendly places to stayhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/10ecohotels.greentravel
A new AA guide showcases over 100 eco-friendly places to stay around the world. Here, we pick 10 - from a treehouse to a city pad - that can be reached without flying<p><strong>Bloomfield House</strong>, Bath</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/10ecohotels.greentravel">Continue reading...</a>Short breaksGreen travelHotelsUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainGermanyMoroccoTravelTop 10sEthical and green livingTravel and transportGreenhouse gas emissionsEnvironmentTransportUK newsTreehousesSat, 01 Mar 2008 00:14:19 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/10ecohotels.greentravelTop of the tree ... sleep in a 200-year-old chestnut at Perch&eacute; dans le PercheGuardian Staff2008-03-01T00:14:19ZParis goes cycling madhttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/aug/16/ethicalliving.france
It has been a month since Paris introduced its city-wide bike rental scheme. So how is it going? Local resident Angelique Chrisafis finds out<p>No doubt the Tour de France helped, but when my rather substantial friend Jean, who has never knowingly walked more than 100m without the promise of a four-course meal at the end of it, began to trumpet the joys of cycling, I knew something profound was happening to the Parisian psyche. One month after its launch, Paris's V&eacute;lib', or &quot;freedom bike&quot; scheme, has turned the city cycling mad. You simply pick up a bike from one of the ubiquitous stands, ride it along for your short trip and drop it back at any random stand at your destination.</p><p>The first half-hour's pedal-time is free, with charges rising steeply afterwards. Day and night, tourists, commuters and returning party animals cruise by on the chic new machines. People have joyfully discovered the cheap new way of exercising en route to work or getting home drunk after the metro closes, hence a rush of hires after 1am. There's a glut of bikes deposited at stands at the bottom of hills and none left at the top, as people freewheel down from the heights of Belleville and Montmartre.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/aug/16/ethicalliving.france">Continue reading...</a>Ethical and green livingFranceParisGreen travelCycling holidaysFranceWorld newsLife and styleTravel and transportTransportUK newsEnvironmentEuropeThu, 16 Aug 2007 09:18:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/aug/16/ethicalliving.franceAngelique Chrisafis2007-08-16T09:18:02Z